Open Your Heart
by WhatCameFirst2
Summary: Chariot shares with Croix her first discovery of the Shiny Rod's abilities. Based off of the flashback that Akko sees in the Fountain of Polaris of Chariot morphing into different animals for seemingly the first time in episode 12.


p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The final class of the day ended and Croix gathered her many notes and made her way to her dormitory. Most of the other Luna Nova students were giddy and bustling about, more than excited to go into town. She entered the empty dorm room, her two other teammates having already packed their things to enjoy the opportunity to go into town. Croix rolled her sleeves up and cleared some clutter off of her desk before settling down to do some studying./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Hours passed, the sun was gone, replaced by the blue tinted rays of the full moon. If not for Croix's poor eyesight, she would have been able read solely by the light of the moon, even so, the pile of books stacked above her head space were blocking the moonlight coming in from the window. Besides an occasional giggle and door opening and closing down the hall, the whole floor was silent. The other girls were either still out or already in bed. Croix reveled in the peace and quiet, it gave her time to fully focus on her work./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The moon was at its peak height when the Croix's precious silence was disturbed. She was hunched over a particularly interesting (to her, at least) text and a sudden tap on the window pulled her attention away from the ancient pages and to the large circular window above her head. Croix sat looking at the window, still a little surprised after being jolted from her pensive state. The bottom half of the window was obstructed by even more books, so Croix climbed onto her desk, carefully stepping on less important notes and reached up to take down some of the books. Another quick, tap on the window and a muffled voice calling, "Croix! Open up, I want to show you something", urged her to be a bit faster in removing the old tomes. As a result of her haste, Croix nearly lost her footing on the loose leaf papers under her. She righted herself and cleared the window sill, finding Chariot du Nord's white raven familiar cocking his head at Croix inquisitively, eyes glowing. Croix's heart sank, hoping to see the witch herself, but only briefly, as the familiar opened its mouth and Chariot's voice was projected through, "Hi Croix! Meet me at our spot, if you're not busy." Croix nodded her head, smiling to herself and went to grab her broom and cloak. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"***/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Croix landed gently in the grass near the abandoned farm and broken stone wall where she could see Chariot sitting. At the sound of Croix approaching, Chariot swung her legs over the low wall, turning to face her underclassman. Chariot's eyes lit up and her face was fixed in a grin,/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You actually came!" Chariot said enthusiastically./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What happened? You're covered in dirt,"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Croix worried over Chariot's state of dishevelment. Chariot looked down at her skirt, it was indeed covered in dirt and some was smudged on her face as well. She merely waved it off with a smile as she looked at Croix. Croix sighed,/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What am I to do with you?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Chariot brandished her special rod that found her one day in a certain forbidden forest, "Watch me, I can feel power in my heart when I say this chant!" She raised the rod above her head and shouted the chant, "span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Arae Aryrha!"/span/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Chariot exploded with white light and a cat made of the same light lept out of the spot where she once stood. The cat ran in mid air with ease and spirit. Croix stood, eyes wide and jaw hung open, her attention fixated on the spectacle happening in front of her eyes. Chariot's giggling echoed through the night air. The cat shimmered and jumped, transforming into a wolf. Croix shook her head, to shake off the shock of the breathtaking sight./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""H-huh?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"This was all she could manage to say, Chariot left her speechless. The wolf frolicked, stark against the dark blue of the midnight sky, and transformed into a beautiful horse, although it did not last for long. The horse reared and shook its white mane made of light. Chariot's breathless voice proclaimed, "I'm getting dizzy!" and the horse reared again falling backward, transforming back into Chariot. She landed hard on her bottom, rubbing it gingerly, laughing the whole time. Croix's heart swelled with happiness after seeing the performance and the performer sitting on the ground full of pure joy./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Geez...here," Croix gave Chariot a hand up and started dusting some of the dirt off her skirt./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As Chariot was patting herself down, the two girls made their way to sit on the wall. She was bursting with excitement and conveyed her plans to Croix./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""After I discovered the power the Shiny Rod gave me, allowing me to do a sorta enhanced version of the animal transformation magic, I've decided I'm gonna use it during the Samhain Festival this year." /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Croix was still very much awestruck at the show her friend put on for her, a rare, real, grin was fixed on her face. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""That's a magnificent idea, you'll get the Moonlit Witch title for sure." /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Chariot shook her head, "I just really want to make people happy and fill their hearts with joy. Make them forget their problems and just enjoy the moment." /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Croix understood. Chariot always liked entertaining people and was very good at it. No one was invulnerable to her charm and everyday attitude, she truly could tug on people's heart strings. Especially, in this instance, Croix's./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The two witches put their hats on and leisurely flew back to the dormitories on their brooms, chatting the whole way. Although Croix contributed less to the conversation, she always loved listening to Chariot speak passionately about her ambitions. /p 


End file.
